Dangerous Assumptions

R for violence --------------- Angst/Horror

WARNING = this story will deal with aspects of child abuse.

Disclaimer = Rumiko Takahashi owns all characters from Inu-Yasha.
The following character are mine=Manzo, Misumi, Rikona.

Summary = Kagome has a dark secret, one that makes her not approve of Inu-Yasha
hitting Shippo on the head. She has decided to find out how youkai discipline their young.


Author's notes = Oh no, I have gone and started a multi-chapter story. Hehe, that means
I'm going to play around with the heroine's (Kagome) family, giving it a twist. This is
NOT the sequel to 'Bundle of Joy'. This fic will be darker. The sequel to Bundle of Joy
will be 'Leap of Faith.'
After reading a fic that had Kagome flip out after Inu-Yasha hit Shippo again, I
wondered why she would snap. That's when I got the idea for this story, it wouldn't get
out of my head, and so I decided to finally make it into a story. Enough of my babbling,
it's story time!


Key = I tried to use three periods … to indicate a pause but FF.N wouldn't upload it right, so I've changed
it. Now --- will indicate a pause in someone's speech.

Dangerous Assumptions

Chapter 1

It had been a strenuous week for everyone. They heard of a tale of no less than
four shards in the remote northern regions. The story said that there was a group of
thieves that was located so far north that their hideout wasn't on the mainland of Japan,
but on one the smaller islands. After traveling long and hard, it was discovered that it was
indeed a mere ru The The thieves did not have a single shard, much to Inu-Yasha's ire.
They were now on the way back to the village at the edge of Inu-Yasha no Mori. With
the sun about to set, it was time to make camp and have dinner.

After so much practice of making camp from nearly a year of traveling with
each other, the process went quickly. Every member of the group used their own methods
of ensuring that no threats were near. Inu-Yasha, Kirara and Shippo sniffed around to
catch any scents. Miroku and Kagome used their spiritual powers to feel for dangerous
presences while Sango used her experience as an exterminator to look for threats. In no
time, they scouted the area and settled down to eat.

It was barely an hour after they ate that Kagome first noticed the detested buzz
in the back of her mind. It was like if the inside of her head had an itch that she couldn't
scratch. She had finally discovered why it happened and what it meant a few months ago.
The mental buzzing was because of the fact that a part of her soul does not exist in her
body, it was being held inside a clay replica of a body cremated half a century ago.

Kikyo was near and the stolen part of Kagome's soul was calling for home.

Looking over to Inu-Yasha, Kagome saw he was still partially relaxed, meaning
he hasn't taken notice of the revenant miko yet. 'She's too far away for him to catch her
scent yet. But the way this stupid buzzing is increasing, she will most likely arrive in less
than an hour.'

Sango noticed her friend had been rubbing her temples for some time. "Kagome,
are you ok?" She hoped that it was not what she suspected. When the younger girl replied
with "Oh it's one of those mild headaches", Sango knew what Kagome meant and it was
what she suspected. Once Kagome told everyone except Inu-Yasha how she can tell if
Kikyo is near, they set up a catchword for Kagome to use to warn them without Inu-
Yasha knowing that Kikyo is close.

Inu-Yasha looked down at the group with barely concealed concern. "Kagome,
you better go to sleep if you got a headache." Kagome gave a small smile sometimes Inu-
Yasha can be nice. Alas, it did not last long as he visibly stiffened.

Sango scowled while Miroku closed his eyes. Even Shippo and Kirara noticed
Inu-Yasha's body language that meant he had caught Kikyo's scent. Kagome tried to
brace herself for the change in Inu-Yasha's attitude that happened at the slightest hint of
Kikyo. Alas, Inu-Yasha did not ppoippoint them. "Kagome, go to sleep." He said in a
callous voice, mockery dripping off every word. "We need you to be able to sense the
shards. What good is a shard detector if you got a headache that stops you from doing
that? I'm going to make sure there's no youkai around." It was as if Inu-yasha was a
demonic Jeckle and Hyde.

A few tears escaped from Kagome as she stood up. "I'm no fool Inu-Yahsa!
Don't tell me that you 'are going to make sure there's no youkai around'! I am fully
aware that the only ones around are Kikyo's Shinidama-chuu! Those damned soul-
stealing insects! You are going to see her! Admit it!"

That was all Inu-Yahsa had to hear to make him livid, and he began to yell back
at Kagome. "What's it to you? That's my business!" He knew the subject of Kikyo upset
Kagome, but now she was yelling, no screaming at him again. 'By the seven hells, why
can't she see that I was trying to spare her feelings?'

With narrowed eyes, Kagome moved to stand in front of him, her voice full of
rage. She had tried to hold on to her temper, Kami knows that she attempted to stay calm.
However, Inu-Yahsa knew just how to push her to the breaking point.

"You baka! 'What's it to me'? I'll tell you what it's to me! You are SUPPOSE to
be MY friend and PROTECTOR, but you run off to at the first chance to go to an
animated corpse that's impersonating your first love and who wants to drag you to hell!
Oh, don't forget that she wants to kill me! How are you going to protect me if you are
dragged to hell by that…corpse?!" Kagome nearly bit her tongue to keep from saying
bitch or whore.


Inu-Yasha had a jab of guilt at first, but at the insult to Kikyo, it turned to anger
once again. "At least Kikyo can fight, unlike you!"

Everyone watched as Kagome's eyes widened with outrage. "Yeah, she can fight
so good that she attacks an 'untrained' girl like me!" Pausing for a second, Kagome
lowered her voice to what they knew was a serious tone. "So tell me Inu-Yasha, my
'protector', next time she is trying to kill me, will you save me? Or will you just take no
notice of me and go to her?"

Silence reigned supreme for several minutes as the others tried to recover from
this astonishing surprise. They really didn't expect Kagome to come out and demand
that. She has always followed the traditions of politeness that governed Japan's society
for countless generations. Nevertheless, sometimes Kagome was polite to a fault. Sango
nodded her head in approval of her adopted sister's desire to send politeness on its arse.
Miroku merely sighed as he stood back to watch the proceedings unfold.

Crossing his arms, Inu-Yasha pushed his nose up into the air, giving an
undignified snort. "You're making things up! Why would Kikyo want to hurt you?" Inu-
Yahsa hid a twinge of guilt as he remembered the time they faced Naraku's illusionary
death and Kikyo stole the shards.

***Fbackback***

Inu-Yasha jumped over the crevice and pulled Kagome up, away from the vapors
that were devouring everything that fell into it. As she grabbed a fistful of his haroi, he
could feel her trembling. He didn't need to breathe deeply to smell her fear, even the foul
odor of this evil forest could not mask her scent of pure terror. 'Something's going on,
Kagome never reacted this way to Naraku.'

His acute hearing was able to make out Kagome's frightened whispers "Ki-
Kikyo was ---- trying to---" He held her as he nervously whispered to Kagome "what" as
he looked over to Kikyo that stood there with a fist held in front of her bosom. 'Kami,
don't tell me that it was Kikyo ! I---I can't accept that! Kikyo has every reason to hate me,
but why would she hate Kagome?'

Kikyo looked over to her former lover with narrowed eyes. "I took the Shikon
shard from her. That's all. It's because she's carrying this that Kagome's life is in danger.
Naraku, I suspect, was planning to melt her body---" It was then that Inu-Yasha looked
down into the crevice and noticed the noxious vapors of miasma for the first time.

As the Shinidama-chuu lifted Kikyo up and flew away, Inu-Yahsa looked down at
Kagome who refuse to meet his gaze. "What happened between you and Kikyo? Don't
tell me Kikyo---tried to hurt you?" He waited in silence as she still refused to look up
and kept quiet for some time.

*** end flashback***

Inu-Yasha mentally shook himself, 'That's right it was Naraku that tried to kill
Kagome then. All Kikyo did was take the shard.'

Letting out a sigh of pure arrgravation, Kagome pinched the bridge of her nose in
hopes of stopping the headache from growing. "Inu-Yahsa, I know you have a brain,
USE IT! She wants you but you promised to protect me. Don't forget that I'm the one
with a soul not her!"

"Feh, You're imaging things and I'm going."

Inu-Yasha turned to leave when Shippo jumped in front of him. "Hey, you didn't
answer Kagome! Who would you save, Kagome or Kikyo?"

Although Miroku was the embodiment of calmness, even he was subject to the
anxious air as they waited for an answer. When Inu-Yasha moved to leave without saying
anything, Miroku swung his Shakujon, knocking his obstinate friend to the ground.
"What is your answer, Inu-Yahsa? If the two ladies were to le ele each other, whom
would you save? Kagome-sama or Kikyo?"

Jumping up, Inu-Yasha turned to poke a claw in Miroku's direction. "Listen
monk, Kikyo wouldn't attack Kagome so I don't have to choose!"

Angry at Inu-Yasha's indecisive attitude, Shippo started to jump up and down,
waving his small fists. "You're just saying that because you would choose Kikyo! You
would protect Kikyo but not Kagome!"


Before the young Kistune kit could blink, a very irate hanyou was holding him
up by the tail. "Listen runt, never, NEVER say that I won't protect Kagome because that's
not true!" With that, Inu-Yahsa whacked Shippo on the head and tossed the kit across the
camp.

"INU-YASHA! DON"T YOU DARE TREAT SHIPPO LIKE THAT! GO,
LEAVE HERE NOW!" Kagome screamed as she bolted to the dazed child's side.
Everyone was stunned at the angry aura that shimmered around Kagome as bolts of
energy shot around her form. She took a deep breath, trying to keep control. She
recognized the energy as the same that flared with her anger at Kikyo the time she tried to
drag Inu-Yasha to hell. "Inu-Yasha leave now before I do something I'll regret. We will
meet you back at Kaede's village in a week."

Now that confused him. "What? The village is only two days away!"

Kagome looked at him with a hardened gaze. "You know I don't approve of
you hitting Shippo on the head. I want it to stop."

"Feh, the little brat needs some discipline! Someone's got to teach him his
place!" Inu-Yasha stopped at the look in Kagome's face. Something he said made her
look murderous, causing her aura to flare once again. She has always had a protective side
towards the orphaned kit but this is taking it too far, for her to get so fierce over a few
bumps on the head.

Kagome took another deep breath, trying to hold on to her frayed temper. "That's
what I plan on talking to Kouga about! I plan on asking him how youkai discipline their
young…"

Inu-Yahsa didn't wait to hear any more. "That wimpy wolf?! Why not ask me?"

Kagome looked at him with a deadpan expression. "Get serious! You don't have
discipline yourself, you grew up wild. I've seen your idea of child discipline I don't
approve of it!"

~To be continued


Please read & review and tell me what you think.

Translations
Baka = stupid, idiot.


Shinidama-chuu = the soul stealing youkai insects that serve Kikyo.


Shakujon = a monk's staff.